The recent steel cut ceremony held at Riva Trigoso Shipyard of FINCANTIERI was not normal routine, but a very special event, under many points of view. First of all, it is the start-up of the first ‘foreign’ contract for Orizzonte Sistemi Navali. As a matter of fact, Orizzonte was born in Europe, no
The manoeuvres were conducted smoothly demonstrating a high degree of interoperability between EU NAFVOR Units and Coalition Task Force 151. Within one hour the RAS was completed, during which F76 and F44 was loaded and the formation also completed a “corpen november”. A corpen november is a manoeuv
Commander, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 26, the Norfolk-based guided-missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98), and the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Leroy Grumman (T-AO 195) are participating in a multinational exercise off the coast of Scotland. Exercise Joint Warrior 12-1, which runs April 1
During the last week EU Naval Force (NAVFOR) Spanish and French frigates have ensured that much needed humanitarian aid has been delivered safely to the people of Somalia. From 5 to 11 April, Spanish frigate ESPS Infanta Elena and French warship FS Aconit took it in turns to escort World Food Progra
Dutch EU NAVFOR warship HNLMS VAN AMSTEL completed two escorts of World Food Programme (WFP) chartered merchant vessels Mary Ann Hudson and Golden Bridge, on a tour between 14 and 17 April from Berbera to Bosaso and back. Both escorts in this high risk area were carried out smoothly and without any
The Navy’s Antarctic patrol ship HMS Protector ventured further south than ever before on her maiden deployment as she delivered vital supplies to polar scientists. The Portsmouth-based survey ship sailed to Rothera research base – 800 miles south of Cape Horn – allowing her sailors and marines to e
Having taken over as the EU Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) flagship on 7 April 2012, French warship FS Marne has already been very busy out at sea ensuring that the Task Force remains fully prepared for counter-piracy operations off Somalia. In her first 3 days the ship has carried out a number of replenish
Pacific Fleet (PF) servicemen on Apr 17 commemorated corvette (small-size missile ship) Musson by laying wreaths. Project 1234 corvette Musson serving at PF 165-th Missile Boat Brigade sank 25 years ago in the Sea of Japan 33 nautical miles off Ascold Island at the depth of 2,900 meters being hit by
HMS Dragon will formally take her place alongside her older sisters as the fourth of the Royal Navy’s new Type 45 destroyers is commissioned into the Fleet on Friday (April 20th). Hundreds of guests including families of the 190 ship’s company will attend a colourful ‘Christening’ ceremony at Portsm
The Royal Navy helicopter and commando carrier, HMS Illustrious, has joined one of the largest military exercises in Europe. The exercise, which includes participants from the UK, USA, Germany, Netherlands, France, Norway, Denmark and Canada, will take place between April 16 and 26 and is designed t
Pacific Fleet (PF) task force comprising Guards missile cruiser Varyag, destroyers Marshal Shaposhnikov, Admiral Vinogradov, and salvage tug SB-522 left bases setting a course for the Yellow Sea. There it will meet destroyer Admiral Tributs, tanker Pechenga, and seagoing tug MB-37 heading from the G
As regulation slowly and painfully filters down the private maritime security industry, a “proliferation” of new firms from emerging countries is inevitable and British PMSCs will price themselves out of the market, according to Norton Rose partner Philip Roche. The big question, Mr Roche said, is w
Early on Easter Sunday morning (8th April), British Antarctic Survey ship RRS Ernest Shackleton was alerted to assist a Brazilian navy vessel Ary Rongel from thick pack ice in the north eastern end of Bransfield Straits near the South Shetland Islands on the Antarctic Peninsula. The Ary Rongel — an
As part of a foreign military sales case, the U.S. Navy worked together with French military to execute France’s first aerial-target live-fire event using a GQM-163A Coyote Supersonic Sea Skimming Target (SSST), or missile, on April 4. France’s military procurement agency Direction Generale Pour L’A
